Executive Summary
Graduates with a History degree from Norfolk State University earn a median salary of $55,935 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $54,571. The degree typically pays for itself in 13.7 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$39,517
Typical Career
$55,935
Top Performers
$68,274
Estimated break-even: 13.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$373
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,661. Most students can comfortably afford about a $373 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Virginia buys what costs $1.03 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Public Administration.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$54,571
Nominal: $55,935 in Virginia (COL 102.5% of national avg) · 2.4% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $24,533 | $33,582 | $44,206 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $39,517 | $55,935 | $68,274 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $34,351 | $52,354 | $67,967 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $55,935 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in VA, which has a cost-of-living index of 102.5% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $55,935 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250)
= $54,571 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for History graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (25.6%), Educational Services (20.1%), and Public Administration (9.0%). These sectors reflect a diverse range of career opportunities, suggesting that a History degree can lead to fulfilling roles in various fields. Considering the overall return on investment, students should weigh the potential for stable, albeit variable, earnings against the time required to surpass the high-school-only earnings path. This analysis underscores the importance of aligning personal career goals with the realities of the job market for History graduates.
Compare with Another School
See how the History degree at Norfolk State University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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Other Degrees at Norfolk State University
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.